L.P.V. to race Rapha Women’s Prestige and North Star GP!

Les Petites Victoires has been selected for two special opportunites to race our bikes! Both events will test our physical and mental strength–as individuals and as a team–against some of the toughest terrain and fiercest competition in the country. We need your help!

The first event, called the Rapha Women’s Prestige, takes place on May 10th, with a start and finish location in East Bay Hills in the San Francisco Bay Area. The one-day race will cover 100-plus miles over a mix of tarmac and gravel, and will ascend Mount Diablo at least once. The challenging course conditions will test our team’s ability to help each other to the very end, since the timer is stopped only when the sixth and final member of the team crosses the finish line. No other all-woman event like the Prestige exists, and we are excited to be one of 20 teams selected to compete, and the only team representing Chicago.

The second event, the North Star Grand Prix (formerly Nature Valley Grand Prix) consists of five stages with a time trial, three criterium, and two road races taking place in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota June 11-15. This event is on the National Racing Calendar, which means that most of the teams in attendance have rosters full of professional and Olympic-caliber athletes. Needless to say, we were elated when our application to race in such a talented field was accepted a few days ago.

Since the only NRC-level stage race held near Chicago area has been cancelled for 2014, travel has become a necessary part of continuing our development as competitive cyclists and teammates. As a small team, LPV would also like to host several guest riders for the North Star Grand Prix and the Prestige, affording more Chicago women the chance to race on the national level and increasing our team depth to be more competitive against aforementioned Olympians and professionals. We have some amazing ladies in mind: Daphne Karagianis (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew), Ellen Ryan (XXX Racing), and Sarah Rice (Spidermonkey Cycling). Daphne will be doubling up with LPV for the Prestige, joined by CCC teammate, Maria Larkin, and Liz So.

Supporting our guest riders’ travel expenses, race fees, and supplying their kits (team uniform) is a priorty for LPV. It’s what good hosts do, but it adds a great deal to our operating budget that has been generously funded by great organizations like Tenspeed Hero in Chicago, the Petzel Gallery in NYC, and Concord Naturopathic Clinic in New Hampshire. So, we are reaching out to ask you all, our friends, family, and biggest fans to please consider giving a few extra dollars to our team today.

Your donations will be used for travel expenses like fuel and airfare, race registration fees, and to clothe our guest riders in lycra emblazoned with the LPV colors. If there is anything left over, we will undoubtedly spend it on energy bars, gels, goos, and chamois cream. And! Not only will we will “re-gift” 20% of your donations to an organization whose mission is to get more Girls in the Game, we have some special thank-you items to send out for the following suggested donation levels: